28 Ean 2014, 14:18
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection will tomorrow meet with officials from ForFás to consider how the Social Enterprise sector in Ireland can be further developed.
28 January 2014
ForFás is the national policy advisory board for enterprise, trade, science, technology and innovation, and last year published a report on the policy issues and opportunities for the sector. Chief Executive Martin D. Shanahan will address the Committee.
Chair of the Committee, Joanna Tuffy, TD, says: “While social enterprise and entrepreneurship is a developing sector of the economy, Ireland boasts a rich network of longstanding not-for-profit, volunteer-driven organisations in every corner of the the country. Tomorrow’s engagement with Mr Shanahan will consider the detailed ForFás report on the policy supports necessary to further develop social enterprises. As well as the social benefits to families and communities, the sector can be harnessed as a key economic driver, to provide enterprise and jobs opportunities, in urban and rural communities recovering from the impact of the recession.”
Separately, the Committee will also meet representatives from the Equality Budgeting Campaign. The Campaign argues for equality to be placed at the centre of decisions concerning public expenditure and income.
Deputy Tuffy continues: “Our Committee will also hear the case for equality budgeting, and consider how the Department of Social Protection might make greater use of internal and external policy analysis to capture the full impact of Budget decisions on economic inequality. Budgetary decisions and their impact on the most vulnerable warrant very close consideration before they are finalised. There is undoubtedly a need to conduct budget discussions in more public and rational manner, where the key long-term data can be shared and debated out in the open. We will be particularly keen to explore the benefits of equality budgeting and if perhaps Oireachtas Committees could provide a forum in which the long-term trends about economic imbalances are considered.\"
The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 29 January at 1 pm in Committee Room 3, LH 2000. Commencing with engagement on equality budgeting, committee proceedings can be followed live here.
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Committee Membership
Deputy Joanna Tuffy - Chair
Deputies James Bannon, Ray Butler, Joan Collins, Clare Daly, Brendan Griffin , Jim Daly, Derek Keating, Charlie McConalogue, Nicky McFadden, Jonathan O’Brien, Willie O’Dea, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Brendan Ryan
Senators Terry Brennan, Jim D'Arcy, Marie Moloney, Mary Moran, Marie-Louise O’Donnell, Averil Power